If you’re on this site, chances are you’ve read a thing or two (or 200) about San Diego Comic-Con this week. Well, in addition to all of the awesome panels about comics and movies about dudes in metal suits, Marvel games will be there with no less than three playable titles, plus your first-ever look at the 360/PS3 version of "Iron Man 2" from SEGA. As if that weren’t enough, you’ll also see our games involved in several panels stretched across the four days of the event. And on top of all of that, there’s even a fairly big announcement to behold. It’s as though a lot of people are coming to this thing or something...

The Playable Games
Over the past few years, Comic-Con has evolved into a huge opportunity for gamers to check out the hottest new releases. And we’ve got three of ‘em. In chronological order...

"Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes" (did you even know it had a subtitle?) will be downloadable via Xbox Live on July 29 and via the PS3’s PlayStation Network on August 13, and at the Capcom booth you’ll be able to check out just how awesome this re-release remains, even nine years after its initial release. Not only that – Capcom will also host tournaments every day from 3:00-4:00 throughout the show. (Might we suggest you choose the Marvel side?...)

"Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2" – well, you should know all about this one by now. Choose your side in the Civil War. Fuse your powers. Yadda yadda yadda. The playable demo at Activision’s booth allows you to go Pro-Reg or Anti-Reg as you fight your way through the streets of Washington, D.C., en route to a boss fight with your buddy and mine, Deadpool. Be sure to pay attention to his fourth-wall-breaking dialogue!

"Marvel Super Hero Squad" is coming to the Wii this October, and the THQ booth has your chance to try out both the Adventure and Battle modes for these super-cutified – but no less awesome – versions of your favorite heroes.

Debuting at Comic-Con
Be sure to stop by either the SEGA or Marvel booth (heck, visit us both!) for your first look at the "Iron Man 2" game. Wait...was that a little scoff I detected? Trust me, you’ll like what you see. Huge enemies to fight, incredibly destructible environments, and a brand new story independent from the film but in the same universe, which is helping the developers have the time they need to release a kick-ass Iron Man game in time for what’s sure to be a kick-ass Iron Man movie sequel. In addition to a cool new trailer, you’ll get to see the better part of an entire level. Also, if you make it to one of the daily demos on the Marvel stage, you might just bag yourself a limited-edition "Iron Man 2" game poster.

Panels!
You wanna see people talk about Marvel games? You’ve got it. And at one panel, you’ll get a fairly big scoop – literally no one outside of Marvel and one other company knows about this one yet. Here’s the chronological rundown of the panels, complete with official descriptions from http://www.comic-con.org:

Thursday: 11:00-12:00, Room 5AB
The State of MMOs: A Discussion with the Developers
One of those developers just happens to be Gazillion’s Dave Brevik. As you know from our post-E3 blog entry, Dave is best known as one of THE guys at Blizzard who created Diablo, and he’s heading up the team at Gargantuan that’s currently creating Marvel’s big MMO. Who knows? You might just learn something about it...

Official Description: Join Henrik Strandberg (Turbine), John Smedley (Sony Online Entertainment), Dave Brevik (Gazillion), Min Kim (Nexon America), and Leo Olebe (BioWare / EA) for a panel discussion and Q&A moderated by George Chronis (DFC Intelligence) about the current state of the massively multiplayer online games market. Panelists will discuss topics such as MMO pricing models and free-to-play games, design innovations, the future of console MMOs, and much more!

Thursday: 5:30 - 6:30, Room 6DE
Marvel Digital Comics…And Beyond!
We're part of the "beyond" in the title here. If you've enjoyed the free Flash games on MarvelKids.com, you'll definitely want to see what's in store for the future.

Official Description: Since its groundbreaking November 2007 debut, Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited has been all the Internet rage! It’s the greatest collection of Marvel comics ever assembled online and it’s only getting better. Featuring over 6,000 titles with newly digitized comics added every weekday, the site now features its own line of digital-first exclusive comics. Join members of the Marvel Digital Media Group to learn all about the state of Marvel digital comics, casual games, original streaming video and the future of Marvel’s ever-growing digital endeavors.

Saturday: 11:30-12:30, Indigo Ballroom / Hilton Bayfront
Activision/Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2
Want to know what Stan Lee is doing in "MUA2"? Want to see how handsome of a man our own TQ Jefferson is? You’ve gotta come to this panel…

Official Description: Marvel and Activision have a long history of bringing some of the world's most popular and beloved comic book storylines to video games and their fans. That pedigree will continue with a number of Stan Lee's famed Marvel characters inspired by Mark Millar's Civil War storyline, brought to life in "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2." Learn first-hand the various facets that go into transforming a comic book's storyline into a captivating video game, including voice work, writing, development, and creativity, all the while evolving with the high-definition environment of the gaming world. Join Stan Lee, game voice-over actors Armin Shimerman and Fred Tatasciore, and members from Activision's development studio, Vicarious Visions, to gain insight and a preview of the imagination, creative process and technology used to develop some of the most advanced superhero games ever.

Sunday: 12:45-1:45, Room 6A
Marvel: The Next Generation of Marvel Video Games: "Ultimate Alliance 2," "Super Hero Squad," and "Iron Man 2"
Remember that special announcement I alluded to a couple of times earlier? You’ll get that here. Here’s a little clue: it’s a big announcement...but it’s NOT a game announcement.

One other cool thing about this panel: I get to moderate it!

Official Description: Join us for trailer previews, discussion and Q&A on the next wave of Marvel Games from publishers Activision, THQ, and SEGA. Writers Matt Fraction, Mark Hoffmeier, and Evan Skolnick will be on hand along with game developers Kyle Brink, Robert Blackadder, Dan Tanguay, and TQ Jefferson to discuss views on how story and design can come together to make licensed games that don't suck.

So, there you have it. Should be an action-packed four days.

Will we see you there?

Excelsioryuken!
C-Bake